Moving Air Effects
Overview
Helps students develop the idea of air pressure. How high pressure and low pressure affect the development of weather. This lesson explains the ways in which air moves, from a lot to a little, and the effects movement of air can have.
How Air Masses Move...
Before we go too far, we are going to take a look at how moving air forms different air masses. To help you save time, we will focus on just two types of air masses. A warm air mass and a cold air mass. You will look closely at how the speed of these air masses affect the weather when then meet.
1. To help save on paper, you will create the table in you science journal.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1F5Q5irj19RUkOPPT_8U5noFiuCJv88xxVBWJ-mRL60Q/copy?usp=sharing
2. When you have your journal setup, click the following link to continue to the interactive.
Warning: The interactive will give you directions on what to do. You will have to read them. If you have a question about what to do, make sure you reread the directions first.
You will also have to use your note taker guide so that you know the information you should record
I recommend that you use a red and blue pencil or pen to take these notes. You will need sketches.
Tank Car Mystery
What do you notice?
We are going to watch a video of a new phenomenon.
1. In your journal make the title, "Tank Car Mystery"
2. Make a T-chart in your science notebook using the following example.
3. As you observe this new phenomenon, record your noticings and wonderings in the T-chart.
Digging Deeper
1. Watch this video, nothing else, just watch.
2. Now, watch the video one more time. I know this seems silly, but this time I would like you to pause the video and add any information to your t-chart. Looking for details, studying what happens in the background, and listening to any available information will equal better success. Use your senses to make scientific observations and think like a super scientist! If you do, you will actually uncover some hidden secrets to explain phenomena in our next unit. #everything we do links together
Sharing Observations
Sharing Observations (write subtitle in your journal)
1. You will now share your observations with your partner. It is important to keep your conversation focused on the topic of what's on your t-chart.
2. As you share with a partner, be sure to reference specific moments in the video so everyone understands what you are talking about.
Turn and Talk Interview (take turns asking the following questions)
3. What did you observe in the video?
4. Why do you think those things happened?
5. What was puzzling to you?
6. What questions (wonders) do you have about what you observed?
With Your Class (Science Seminar, I will keep a record of what we discuss)
7. Share your observations and your partner’s observations with the class
Related Phenomena
You will need large "fat" syringines for this activiy like the one picured here. Many times a local pharmancy will donate them.
Making Observations of A Related Phenomena (write"Air Syringe" in your journal)
1. We are now going to take a look at a related scenario in our classroom.
2. Look at the sample below to setup your journal. You can also get a copy from your teacher to tape into your journal. (If absent you can find videos related to air pressure and the use of syringes on YouTube).
Circulation In The Atmosphere
Add a section to your journal called, "Investigating Wind"
You will need to read the full article and then summarize your learning in your journal. I have highlighted some of the text of ideas you may want to think about adding to your journal. Just remember that no matter what you decide is important, make sure that you record it in a way that makes sense to you and will be usable later. This might mean words, pictures/sketches, or words and sketches. You decide.
Where can you go to experience wind?
Wind is one of the most obviously dynamic features of our dynamic planet. For a long time Mt. Washington in New Hampshire was known as the windiest place on Earth. It no longer is called that, but it's still plenty windy. A wind speed of 231 miles per hour was recorded on the mountain in April 1934. In a 200 mph wind, you would not be able to stand up. Temperatures due to wind chill would be outrageously cold!
Atmospheric Circulation
Wind is just moving air. You can't really see it. Whether it’s a gentle breeze or strong wind, you are most aware of air when it moves (Figure below). You can feel its molecules press against you. You can see things, like dirt and leaves, moving in the wind. And you can see object moving, like flags and trees, as a result of the wind.
How can you tell the wind is blowing in these photos?(Don't need to answer in your journal, just for you to think about)
Air movement takes place in the troposphere. This is the lowest layer of the atmosphere. Air moves because of differences in heating. These differences create convection currents and winds (Figure below).
- Air in the troposphere is warmer near the ground. The warm air rises because it is light. The light, rising air creates an area of low air pressure at the surface.
- The rising air cools as it reaches the top of the troposphere. The air gets denser, so it sinks to the surface. The sinking, heavy air creates an area of high air pressure near the ground.
- Air always flows from an area of higher pressure to an area of lower pressure. Air flowing over Earth’s surface is called wind. The greater the difference in pressure, the stronger the wind blows.
*You'll need this graphic. Draw it so it makes sense to you. Use the bullet points above. Use color.
Differences in air temperature cause convection currents and wind.
Summary
- Warm air rises because it is less dense. This creates an area of low pressure.
- Cool air sinks because it is denser. This creates an area of high pressure.
- Wind blows from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure.
Review
1. Diagram and label the parts of a convection cell in the troposphere.
2. Why does warm air rise? Why does cool air sink?
3. What creates wind?
Explore More
Use the resource below to answer the questions that follow.
https://youtu.be/DHrapzHPCSA
- Where is insolation strongest?
- What type of pressure occurs at the Equator? Why?
- What type of pressure occurs at the poles? Why?
- What are Hadley cells?
- How do surface winds move?
- What happens at the polar front?
- How does air move differently at high altitudes?